Passenger or transportation ticket.



No. 637,067. Patented Now-r4; |899.-

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PASSENGER 0R TBANSPORTATIUN TICKET.

(Application filed Nov. 5, 1898.)

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Patented Nov. I4, |899. G. S. ATHERTON.

PASSENGER 0R TRANSPOBTATIUN TICKET.

(Application filed Nov. 5, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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No. 637,067. Patented Nov. I4, |899.

. G. S. ATHERTON.

PASSENGER 0H TRNSPORTATION TICKET.

(Application led Nov. 5, 189B.; No Model.) 3 Sheets-'Sheet 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Brion,

GRANT SIDNEY ATHERTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PASSENGER OR TRANSPORTATION TICKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,067, dated November 14, 1899.

Application filed November 5,1898- Serial No. 695,567. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GRANT SIDNEY ATH- ERTON, of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State 2 of New York, have invented a new and Improved Passenger or Transportation Ticket, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved passenger or transportation or theater ticket arranged to prevent fraudulent use by stopping speculation, known as scalping-that is, the illegal disposal of part of the ticket by the original buyer and user to another person.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a face View of the ticket. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same on the line 3 3 in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a view of that face of the ticket on which is printed the return-trip or continuation part. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the return-trip ticket partly folded; and Fig. 6 is a rear face view of the ticket before being folded.

The improved ticket is provided with a sheet A, arranged to be folded into package form and adapted to be sealed in this condition, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, by means of a suitable eyelet B or like means passed through the several folds. On the sheet A are formed integrally the destina- .tion-coupons C, on the outer end of which is a detachable agents stub C', to be removed from the coupon at the time the ticket is sold to a. traveler. i

As shown in Fig. l, three coupons are provided for indicating that the ticket is for transportation from New York to Chicago, and on the sheet A are formed in a transverse column return or continuation coupons E, separated from each other in the usual manner by perforations, (see Fig. 4,) the coupons reading from Chicago back to New York, the

printed matter. being on the inside of the sheet A, so that when the latter is folded, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2, the reading inatter of the coupons is not visible, and as the folded sheet is closed and sealed it is not possible for other persons to read the destination given by the coupons E.

The sheet A is creased longitudinally and transversely, as indicated by dotted linesD D, and D2 D2, to form the parts F, G, H, I, I', K, K', K2, and the part E', containing the coupons E. The sheet A is also formed with a perforation J3 for forming folds J J' J2 at the upper ends of the parts G, H, and I, and a similar perforation L separates the parts F, I', and F. from the flaps F5, l2, and E2 at the lower ends of the parts F, I', and E next to the creased parts K K K2, respectively.

On the inside of the part F is printed a contract F3 between the purchaser and the railroad agent, also the ticket-number, the formnumber, and a consecutive number of the manufacturerof the ticket. (SeeFig. 4.) On the part F, adjacent to the contract F3, is arranged a baggage-stub F4 to be used on the return trip and printed on the inside of the sheet and reading in the particular casein question Chicago to New York, and on the outside of the sheet is indicated that a number of pieces of baggage or packages have been checked to New York from Chicago. (See Fig. l.) On the inside of the part G may be printed instructions to conductors, &:c., and on the outside of said part are printed further instructions to conductors and also that the ticket is not transferable. (See Fig. 6.) The remaining portions of the sheet, on the inside as well as on the outside, may be left plain. In going, to Chicago the baggage is checked on the coupon C in the usual manner.

In using the ticket the sheet Ais provided at the time of sale by the agent with written matter to complete the contract F2, then the sheet is folded first by folding the parts H, E', E2, K2, and J over upon the corresponding middle parts G, F, F5, K, and J, thenthe IOO upon the part I3. The eyelet B is now passed through the parts J, J, J2, K, K, K2, I3, F5, and E2, as is plainly indicated in Fig. 2, to prevent unfolding of the sheet A. It will be seen that by folding the parts as described the perforations .I2 and L come opposite each other to permit the conductor to tear off the perforated parts when the ticket is again presented on the return or continuation trip of the voyage. The ticket having its sheet A sealed, as described, is presented by the passenger during the trip to Chicago, and the conductor tears off the separate coupons in the usual manner upon reaching the place indicated by the coupon. Thus when a passenger reaches Chicago the sheet A, folded and sealed, remains in his possession. As it is impossible for other persons to inspect the inside of the ticket, it is evident that they cannot find out the destination, writing, or value of the restricted portion, and consequently it is well nigh impossible for any transfers to be made in consequence of the inability of the holder to show or demonstrate to any one the destination, value, the., of the folded sheet.

It is evident that when the ticket is folded and sealed it cannot be opened without breaking such fastening by cutting or tearing apart, and the ticket bears such instructions as forbid the opening or mutilation of the ticket by any one except a conductor or ticketcollector, under penalty of rendering the ticket void and of no use.

On the outside of the folded ticket are such instructions and directions as insure to the lawful holder of the ticket all benefits or privileges to which he or she may be entitled, according to the terms of the contract governing the sale of the ticket and for prevention of the use of the ticket by any other person except at his own risk. The sheet also contains information for the holder of the ticket, such as the date of expiration of time-limit and the station at which it must be presented for passage, and the instructions printed therein forbid, under penalty offorfeiture, the making, except by an employee orother agent of the transportation company, any mark, notation, or indorsement with a view of defeating the purpose for which the ticket was designed.

lVhen the holder of the sealed sheet is on the return-trip from Chicago to New York, the conductor t'ears olf the parts J, J', J2, K, K', I3, F5, and E2 along the line of perforations J3 L and then opens up the sheet to get at the coupons E on the inner face of the sheet. If desired, the parts G II I I may be removed from the remaining parts F and E', which are returned to the owner of the ticket by the conduct-or. The coupons on the part E are removed in succession as the passenger reaches the places indicated on said coupons.

It will be noticed that the baggage-check is still in possession of the holderof the ticket,

and as this check indicates on the inside that baggage is to be checked from Chicago to New York it is evident that the holder of the cheek can obtain his baggage upon arrival in New York by presentingthe baggage-check, together with the regular checks given to the holder in Chicago.

The eyelet B may be covered with sealingwax and stamped thereon with such impression-seal as may be deemed best to prevent tampering with the folded sheet without detection.

The ticket in all other respects not otherwise herein designated provides for all other customary conditions and modifications now in use, and the ticket is also stamped with theagentsdating-stamps. Limitationsshould be indicated with pen and ink instead of by punch, as is customary.

The ticket is to be made of suitable material, with the usual provisions against counterfeiting, each ticket also bearing the manufacturers consecutive number in two places, once as previously mentioned and indicated on the contract F3 of the part F, the other number being in the section G on the outside of the folded sheet, so that it may be seen at all times. The ticket is to he made or printed with the form of a'contract for the purchaser to sign an agreement to use the ticket in accordance with the terms and conditions printed thereon and not to transfer any portion of the same.

From the foregoing it will also be seen that the ticket provides a place for the baggage agent to punch the ticket-that is, at the part Ft-and as the baggage agent cannot know the destination of the return-trip of the ticket he is instructed to check baggage as designated by the holder of the ticket; but the purchaser or passenger is directed and obliged to present the baggage-stubs with the usual baggage-checks when arriving at his destination in order to obtain the baggage covered by the stub. Should the destination of the baggage and the baggage-check not correspond, excess charges will be collected at the destination in the usual manner.

I do not limit myself to the railroad-ticket shown and described in detail, as it is evident that the invention may be effectively used for theater-tickets to preventspeculating by buying up tickets ahead of bond de purchasers and then selling them at a higher price to those who have not secured tickets in advance. This object is secured by the use of a form of ticket shaped and folded whereby the ticket when purchased is sealed in such a manner as to prevent inspection of same by any one. Consequently it would be almost impossible foi` any traffic to be done in tickets, for the reason that the Would-be seller could not show to the would-be purchaser what sort or value of ticket he had for sale, location of seat, or date good for, the ticket to be sealed with a suitable metallic seal, and Wax and impression seal, if necessary, and to bear printed lOO IIO

l instructions that the ticket'. will not be accepted unless presented with seal unbroken and in good order, to be opened only by ushers inside theater-doors. Purchasers of tickets would of course know what they had bought,(being furnished with detached memorandum stub,) and inl case of a party of people they could rearrange themselves when all had arrived. When ticket was released by cutting oif seal end, it would be in the form of coupon and stub, the ticket to be void and not acceptable for admittance if presented at entrance Without being properly sealed and outside of ticket to bear instructionsto that effect, as before said.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as newr and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Afolded ticket consisting of a sheet having its longitudinal edges folded over t-he central portion to form three layers, and doubled transversely about midway between its ends, the sheet being also folded transversely adjacent to one end in an inward direction, so that the folded end portion is between the other end portion and the central portion of the sheet, and a fastening device passed through the overlapping folded ends of the sheet.

2. A ticket, comprising a sheet adapted to be folded into package form and sealed, destination-coupons integral With and detachable from said sealed sheet, completion-cou-- and a strip of a width less than that of the main body and connected therewith at one end, and complementary series of coupons produced in equal numbers respectively on said strip and on that part of the main body which is adapted to be concealed by folding the main body into a package of about the same width as said strip, each coupon of one series forming the complement to one of the coupons of the other series.

GRANT SIDNEY ATHERTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. MCCORMACK, WM. SMITH. 

